The Irish standard., 1887-06-25
MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL. SATURDAY, JUNE 25 1887.

double quick time until, at the turn o
the road, they came suddenly and I'M
expectedly against the barricade, whe1
Lieutenant Taafe ordered "Fire ~ ant
q deadly volley fir I'M the hedges shat
tered the ranks Of the red coats. Byrne';
and Hacket's men closed in upon then
behind, to prevent retreat. Upon hear
| ing the report of the first shot, Holt
according to arrangement, returned full
speed with bis desperate pikemen, an6
the house breaking, numbering, de-
bauching Ancient Britons and thei,
auxiliaries cot no quarter. Three only
who threw themselves at the Generals
feet and begged for mercy, were spared.
Colonel Paleston and Captain Clifford,
who commanded the Ancient Brittons
and Major Parsons, who had charge OF
the Ballaghkeene Cavalry, with SIC
rank and file, We're slain on the occa.
sion.
The defeat, however, of Father Muir
PHYS men at Arklow, June 9, On their
way to assist Holt, threw him into a
position of isolation. The assistance
long expected was debarred. Poor Mi
chael Dwyer only, with a few trusty
followers. arrived. The total overthrow
| OF the Wexford insurgents at Vinegar
Hill left him no hope of assistance.
General Sir John Mourp. with an i'm
mense army Of the line, had orders to
advance against him. He was euctamp-
ed at Glenna!ure, and the humane and
gallant general notified him Of his dan
ger by sendinga a messenger to him with
letter, of which the following were the
contents:
mt. HOLT: I should be glad to have
some conversation withyou. Point out
any place you see proper to see me. Bring
as many Of your men as you may please.
I will bring with me only my servant.
will also bring with me some dinner,
and if you will let me know what will
satisfy you for your losses 1 will use my
endeavor TO get 1t for you"
lie politely thanked the noble veteran
for his kind offer, but, Influenced by
his followers, declined the interview.
The Kings forces were advancing
upon him from every direction. His
little army was almost surrounded.
Neither he nor his men were willing to
Surrender. They were forced to dis.
perse and betake themselves to places
of concealnlent among the mountains.
ST. Kevin's Bed, hole in the rock at
Gleudaiough. was for some time 10 be
the hiding place of Holt and Dwyer..
When all hope Of retakjng the field had
left him and he had no means Of subsis-
tence, circumstances compelled him to
surrender. He applied to Lord Towers
court, with whom he was well acqualnt
ed. and WIS cheerfu]ly received. when
other landlords fed to the metropolis
for fear of Holt's rebels, Lord Powers
court stayed at home and was not in
terfered with. For this his lordship
thanked the ex-commander and prom
sed to befriend him. ..:.
The overthrow, chieftain was lodged
in Birmingham Tower. Dublin Castle.
The notorious Jimmie O>Brien, whose
brother john had been one of the Of
6cers, came to tempt him to turn Kings
evidence against his comrades and
thereby save his own life, but this he
spurned with indignation.
During our hero's confinement he oc-
cnpied his time writing his own life.
which was afterward edited and publish
ed by the accomplished Crofto,1 Croker,
grand-uncle of Fire Commissioner
Richard Croker. Iu lapse Of time he
was brought to trial. lie offered no
defence and was sentenced to die. Lord
Powerscourt did not forget his promise.
Through his prevailing influence the
sentence was transmitted to transporta-
tion for life. He was ultimately par
doned and liberated. He died at King
ston in 1926.
Of Holt's chief companion in arms,
the eccentric but learned and intrepid
Denis Taafe lived by the kindness Of
those who pitied him until 1918, when
he died in Dublin; Billy Byrne paid the
penalty Of his offence upon the scaffold;
his brother Garrett took the benefit of
the s. Banishment Act,'' and went into
exile.
Michael Dwyer could not bring him
self to submit; he had a sort Of fore
boding that another attempt to over
throw foreign domination might be
attempted in his day, and heresolved to
hold himself in readiness for it.
With price upon his head, chased
like a wolf over brakes and mountains,
he led sort of rapparee life among the
Businesses Of his native county until
Robert Emmett hedged his bold but un
fortunate project in 1903, when he be-
came one of the lamented hero's chief
confdants.
On the failure of that daring enter
prise he returned to the mountains,